Creating A Scifi Universe; A collaborative effort

[CaptainChewbacca]

Nah, I've just got some wheels churning. IF we have a group of humans that are living in deep-space, lets call them "darklings", then they would be naturally attracted to rogue planets as energy sources. BUT, a rogue planet isn't stationary, its careening through space at a velocity enough to make it hard-to-find after you leave it.

Hmmmm.... what if..... our mighty civilization has been hearing rumors for a few decades about mysterious ships raiding outer colonies and ships exiting/entering hyperspace. Suddenly a prominent colony goes off the comm grid, and an expedition sent to find out what's up vanishes as well?

If they're harvesting plenty of minerals and stealing ships, the darklings could have a giant "uglie" fleet. All it takes is a charismatic leader to unite them and then its Genghis Khan all over again...

[RedImperator]

Even if the rogue planet was moving at near lightspeed (which would be a hell of a trick), it would take years to move any appreciable distance compared to a civilization with FTL travel. For all intents and purposes, it would be in the same place. Still difficult to find because there's no star, but if the raiders can be tracked coming in or going out, the civilization should be able to get a rough idea where it's located. And if the ships can't be tracked, why bother with the rogue planet except as an advance base? Just find a convenient nearby star system that doesn't have any interesting features to attract attention, like a habitable planet. Even if the darklings can't stand sunlight, why would they be opposed to living on the fringes of a star system while they occasionally send mining ships or solar collectors sunward to gather resources?

[CaptainChewbacca]

Even if the rogue planet was moving at near lightspeed (which would be a hell of a trick), it would take years to move any appreciable distance compared to a civilization with FTL travel. For all intents and purposes, it would be in the same place. Still difficult to find because there's no star, but if the raiders can be tracked coming in or going out, the civilization should be able to get a rough idea where it's located. And if the ships can't be tracked, why bother with the rogue planet except as an advance base? Just find a convenient nearby star system that doesn't have any interesting features to attract attention, like a habitable planet. Even if the darklings can't stand sunlight, why would they be opposed to living on the fringes of a star system while they occasionally send mining ships or solar collectors sunward to gather resources?

I was thinking that they might grow partial to red dwarfs ( )and similar un-useful stars. I'm thinking they might have started out as religious sepratists or people who wanted to explore space before there was any kind of FTL and they just got out-of-hand. They don't hate sunlight, but they mistrust normal humans.

A rouge planet would be a good base and also have some useful raw materials. I don't know about detecting stuff in space, I've never understood how FTL 'sensors' work.

[Stofsk]

Screw mental powers. Sufficiently advanced technology, build it right in. Then claim it's mental.

Do you mean something like the Lens in Doc Smith's Lensman books? As I recall that was essentially an alien device that could grant quasi-psychic powers.

[SirNitram]

Screw mental powers. Sufficiently advanced technology, build it right in. Then claim it's mental.

Do you mean something like the Lens in Doc Smith's Lensman books? As I recall that was essentially an alien device that could grant quasi-psychic powers.

Not really. If a society has, for example, mastered EM control sufficiently, they could build a device in a person(Cybernetics or biotech, whichever tickles your fancy), and bam, telekinetic.

[Shroom Man 777]

And another interesting idea I'm using in my fic. We all hate Christian fundies, so why don't we portray them like how the media portrays Al Quaeda. The fundies will be the ones bombing labs which produce things from orgasm producing candy sticks to cloned eyeballs. They'll be bombing the Interstellar Trade Station and everything else. We can have news articles, documentaries on how they are primitive and crazy and blood thirsty and everything.

We could have people like BBC's John Simpson in Simpson's Galaxy, and they show the barbaric history of Christianity. Well, maybe not too much as not everyone could be atheists, but who cares

[CaptainChewbacca]

Speaking as a devout Christian, I'd take a bit of exception to that. But, there's no reason why there couldn't be a few survivalist colonies with theocratic christian rulers.

Here's what we seem to agree on so far;
1. Jump points or limited FTL. No warp drive
2. Alien races should be few but well-developed.
3. Fragmented humanity. A 'core' empire and perhaps 3 or 4 prominent independent nations plus a few dozen individual systems.
4. No stupid tech, and blocky, realistic, rotational gravity ships could be fun.
5. Some mental powers (telepaths with limits).
6. Warships should look like warships.
7. Money still makes everything go round.

Here's what some enterprising authors could work on;
a. Some interesting, well-developed aliens. no bumpy-foreheads, and make sure they're good. My grrusarri are only an example.
b. Some of the smaller human nations or more interesting planets. I have a feeling the main core might take a page from Honorverse so we don't get bogged down in earth.
c. A good technology framework for building ships.

We can do it, people! Let's show Orion's Arm how its done!

[Stofsk]

Not really. If a society has, for example, mastered EM control sufficiently, they could build a device in a person(Cybernetics or biotech, whichever tickles your fancy), and bam, telekinetic.

Ah! So something like the affinity gene or the datavise in Hamilton's "Night's Dawn" trilogy?

[SirNitram]

Not really. If a society has, for example, mastered EM control sufficiently, they could build a device in a person(Cybernetics or biotech, whichever tickles your fancy), and bam, telekinetic.

Ah! So something like the affinity gene or the datavise in Hamilton's "Night's Dawn" trilogy?

If I had read those, I would know if it is true or not.

The point is simply that, through some technobabble, a human subspecies is manufactured with 'powers', which are really applied, advanced technology. Of course, not everyone needs to know that..

[SirNitram]

Here's what some enterprising authors could work on;
a. Some interesting, well-developed aliens. no bumpy-foreheads, and make sure they're good. My grrusarri are only an example.

I could ressurect the Players and a few of their servitor species.

Short version: The Players are GI's manufactured billions of years ago with godlike intellect. After their parent civilization fell to the slow ravages of time, they got terribly bored with waiting around for the end of the universe, and began using their superior technology to encounter less-advanced races and overawe them.

They proceed to use these overawed species in a massive strategy game, where the 'peices' are starships, armies, or planets. Bets are placed, and the Players are amicable, if terribly competitive and underhanded, about it. Unfortunately, those races under them are typically not ready for the technology they have, and are zealously loyal..

And tend to be freakish. Mankind's first encounter with them in the arcs I was planning was with a species of massive, intelligent, amoeba. Man, did the Players have to redesign their stuff for those things... Reproduce like mad, though.

[Shroom Man 777]

Speaking as a devout Christian, I'd take a bit of exception to that. But, there's no reason why there couldn't be a few survivalist colonies with theocratic christian rulers.

Well, think of it this way. Today, Islam isn't the most dominant thing, you still have lots of normal Muslims, but the extreme Muslims are pushed to the edge and do crazy shit.

In the future, with aliens and FTL, the Christians are in that very situation. Most are okay people, the fringes have gone nuts. They don't just bomb abortion clinics or burn crosses, they are now like a redneck's futuristic Al Quaeda.

And I'm not talking about theocratic planets, I'm talking about terrorists. Though theocratic planets would be neat, they should be extremely rare.

Anyway, in my fic most Christians are okay guys, the fundies are nutsos.

You could also develop tension as the fundies burn crosses on the aliens' residential areas. They could go "filthy Zigonians!" "all Zigonians go to hell!" and everything like that.

[CaptainChewbacca]

Well, think of it this way. Today, Islam isn't the most dominant thing, you still have lots of normal Muslims, but the extreme Muslims are pushed to the edge and do crazy shit.

In the future, with aliens and FTL, the Christians are in that very situation. Most are okay people, the fringes have gone nuts. They don't just bomb abortion clinics or burn crosses, they are now like a redneck's futuristic Al Quaeda.

And I'm not talking about theocratic planets, I'm talking about terrorists. Though theocratic planets would be neat, they should be extremely rare.

Anyway, in my fic most Christians are okay guys, the fundies are nutsos.

You could also develop tension as the fundies burn crosses on the aliens' residential areas. They could go "filthy Zigonians!" "all Zigonians go to hell!" and everything like that.

Interesting... a human nation might declare a crusade against a neighboring planet. I wonder if perhaps we might get some overzealous humans making a bad first-impression on all humanity's behalf.

[Shroom Man 777]

I don't expect the theocrats to have significant power. They'll be like space Amish. Refusing all the benifits of normal life, like OrGazmos or cloned eyeballs. The dangerous fundies come in the form of the terrorists and various organizations, like the KKK.

We could have nutters initiate some war or piss off some aliens. Or they could encounter some unknown alien race...and then their fundie planet is BDZed

And alien fundies won't be bad too.

And imagine the fundies preaching the word of God to the aliens

[Thirdfain]

I wrote a short story once about the aftermath between a religious war between two human factions- one, the Combine, was based on earth and was open to trade with the aliens, while the other, the Church of Mankind Ascendent, was a brutal theocracy which saw aliens as demons. It's told from the POV of a Combine officer, one of thousands who survived the war and were re-educated to fight against the aliens, now as contributing Church members.

Just a sort of take on the whole thing- differing attitudes towards aliens could be a huge source of conflict in human society.

[Shroom Man 777]

Mmmm...I don't really think so. When man is to a point where most of those religious gobbledygook are discarded, accepting aliens won't be that hard. At the present day though, it will be hard, just think what the Pope might say when rambling about the aliens.

[Sarevok]

What is a good tech level?

Gundum level. No FTL, shields, anti-gravity.

How many alien races are there?

None.

Is it a Trek-federation, or are there many human nations?

Humanity is split into several major powers. Besides unfied Earth there are independent colonies.

What is valuable?

Metals, Uranium, anti-matter.

How does FTL work?

No FTL.

Are mental powers for the taking?

They are not realistic so lets leave it.

[Peregrin Toker]

I wrote a short story once about the aftermath between a religious war between two human factions- one, the Combine, was based on earth and was open to trade with the aliens, while the other, the Church of Mankind Ascendent, was a brutal theocracy which saw aliens as demons.

A bit like the Imperium sees aliens in Warhammer 40K?

[Typhonis 1]

Weapons will be of three types energy weapons like lasers and particle accelerators. Kinetic kill weapons namely railguns "Avast ye swabs they be peggin roundshot at us" theres nothing funny about hitting a cloud of APFSDS rounds at several AU. Missles depending on how you go missles can be semi ai self guiding assasins armed with either a HEAT warhead or a stand off single use nuclear pumped Xray laser.


Defenses point defense guns for use against missles...phlanx comes to mind. Chafff and flares to fool radar and thermal imagiing. Decoys which one is the real ship after all you are going by sensors not by visuals... armor though given you also need to accelerate it might not be heavy .




And as for deep space combat I mean stupid stuff like when you saw on Star Trek or Vouyager two ships duking it out in the void between stars

[Peregrin Toker]

BTW - as for my universe:

The various sentient humanoid species aren't totally alien, but they're not completely alien either.... (I'd give away a huge spoiler if I elaborated more on it)

Anyway, the two different species currently present in my universe are the Xril (tall thin humanoids) and Jardra (short, muscular humanoids).

The Xril are divided into two factions - most of the planets in their solar system is part of the Xhatrr Dominion, a huge socialist state. (think a cyberpunk version of Oceania)

However, one small planet at their edge of their solar system, Thzax, has declared itself autonomous and the Xhatrr Dominion has agreed to this, as long as the Thzax Autonomy has no contact with the rest of the Xril home solar system.

The Jardra's solar system is divided into a lot of planetary nations - nations which either consist of terrestrial planets and their moons, or the moons of a gas giant. The planetary Jardra nations are the Planetary Commonwealth of Avarnam, the Shaikarsite Union, the United Moons of Sarkai, the Confederated Moons of Taurash, the United Moons of Taurash and the Outer Worlds. (the latter is a union of the 3 most remote planet in the Jardra home system)

As for FTL travel - the closest thing to FTL travel is artificially generated wormholes. Sublight travel is achieved by nuclear fusion drives and antimatter drives, the highest known speed of sublight spacecraft is 0.5 C.

(that's half the speed of light)

Weaponry includes, aside from slugthrowers and missiles, lasers and neutral particle beam cannons. The latter, however, are very unwieldy and are only found on military spacecraft, heavier gunship aircraft and defense implacements.

Due to the advanced medical technology and widespread use of cybernetics, Xril and Jardra can both easily live to ages of 300+ years.


Ground combat is somewhat different from today, since infantry is heavily augmented by various war-robots they use - such as hovering gun drones and small spider-like robots similar to Necron Scarabs from Warhammer 40K. Tanks and other vehicles exist, but in a different incarnation from today - most of them fly or hover rather than drive, using some electromagnetic devices which they use to negate gravity. (like repulsorlifts) SST-style power armour exists, but it is very expensive and limited in use to specialist troops. (like in Warhammer 40K)

Infantry standard weapons are slugthrowers for the most part, but snipers and anti-tank specialists use laser weapons. Tank-destroyer vehicles and Anti-aircraft fire emplacements also use lasers, primarly. Aforementioned power armour specialists are armed with large-calibre weaponry (15mm-20mm), which their powered armour allows them to use as assault rifles.

Aircraft as well as most vehicles (except for cars and motorcycles) are piloted by AIs, and the fastest fighter aircraft can easily reach speeds of Mach 9+. Bomber aircraft generally are a bit slower (Mach 6-7) and also huge compared to today's bomber aircraft. (Xril strategic bombers, which vaguely resemble the XB-70 Valkyrie, are 120m long and have a wingspan of 60m)

The general tech level is below ST, except for perhaps the power generation. (the biggest powerplants in my universe generate as much electricity as a small supernova!)

[Stofsk]

I think it's important to establish who wants to participate in this creative exercise, just to make it more organised. And to ascertain who's committed and who's only mildly interested.

[Peregrin Toker]

I could perhaps join, but it could slow down my work on TWW...

[CaptainChewbacca]

Right now we're just making a universe. Once we establish a framework, people can feel free to post small stories. Once a story is posted, it is 'cannon'.

I'll sign up, Stofsk seems on board, and we always have room for a Toker, though his alien gods might be a little too cerebral for us and too hard when there's a bunch of authors. Anybody else want in?

[Peregrin Toker]

Right now we're just making a universe. Once we establish a framework, people can feel free to post small stories. Once a story is posted, it is 'cannon'.

Then I'll gladly join.

[Shroom Man 777]

I'll join, but most of my effort is concentrated on SOTS. Maybe if you people could persuade me *cough*readSOTS*cough*......

Since Per mentioned his TWW technology, I could just as well mention mine.

Space weaponry includes normal slug throwers, railguns, lasers, missiles, railgun launched missiles, plasma weaponry, particle weaponry, normal explosives, nuclear explosives, anti-matter explosives and the most lethal are singularity weaponry.

Particle weaponry is sported on capital ships and corvettes.

Nuclear and AM weaponry are used in space combat. Normal chemical explosives and tiny nukes are used in normal combat.

Large scale nukes, large scale AM and singularity weapons are in the strategic field, rarely ever used.

Ground combat is similar to today. Soldiers are equipped with power armor or all encompassing armor (stormtroopers). Tanks and cars and APCs and whatnot exist and are crucial. Most tanks are tracked, many are hovering, but the advantage of hovering isn't that much since flying tanks will be easy pickings for anti-tank weaponry. Modified humans with super powersuits and cloaking devices also exist, they are the special forces.

Infantry weapons are plasma or railgun or standard slug throwers or lasers. Snipers use railguns or lasers or slug throwers. Lasers aren't too popular as their heat signatures can still be detected. Tank destroyers use either plasma, railgun explosive slugs or missiles. AA emplacements use plasma, lasers, missiles or railguns.

Most vehicles are manned, unmanned vehicles are numerous too. Aircraft are similar in looks to modern aircraft.

EDIT:

Guys, you might want to check the forum links in my sig. Omniverse Zero: http://www.forum.omniversezero.com/index.php?

[speaker-to-trolls]

I'll join, if that's okay with everyone, I've got a lot of sci-fi ideas kicking about in my head that could be used here.